3 COLLEGE FRESHMAN AND FRATERNITY MEMBERS WRAPPED A NOOSE ON THE STATUE OF OLE MISS PIONEER JAMES MEREDITH. SIGMA PHI EPSILON C- E-O BRIAN WARREN FLEW TO OLE MISS, AND RELEASED HIS FIRST COMMENTS ON THE CONTROVERSY. HE SAYS, "THE FACT THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE MEMBERSHIP IN OUR ORGANIZATION IS EXTREMELY TROUBLING." TONIGHT 16 WAPT'S MIKE PERCHICK TALKED FORMER GOVERNOR WILLIAM WINTER ABOUT WHAT THE SCHOOL CAN DO TO RECOVER. I AM ASHAMED, APPALLED, AND ANGRY THAT IT HAPPENED. FORMER MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR WILLIAM WINTER IS AN OLE MISS ALUM AND A CHAMPION OF CIVIL RIGHTS. HE SAYS THE STATUE NOOSE INCIDENT AT OLE MISS ONLY REINFORCES OLD STEREOTYPES. MISSISSIPPI IS ALMOST THE FIRST STATE AND OLE MISS IS ALMOST THE FIRST SCHOOL THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHEN A RACIAL INCIDENT LIKE THIS OCCURS. JAMES MEREDITH HAS JUST ARRIVED IN THE CUSTODY OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND APPARENTLY MAKING HIS WAY UP TO THE TENTH FLOOR TO REGISTER. TODAY, NEARLY 17 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT BODY IS AFRICAN AMERICAN. THE BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THE OLE MISS ISSUE IS THE SENSITIVITY AWARENESS OF ITS STUDENTS AND IT'S FACULTY ON HOW THEY ARE TO RECEIVE AFRICAN- AMERICAN STUDENTS. WINTER SAYS OLE MISS ISN'T THE ONLY WITH THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS. THIS KIND OF THING IS HAPPENING ON CAMPUSES ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. TO MY DISMAY IT'S HAPPENING MORE NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST. UNIVERSITY LEADERS SAY THE THREE FRESHMAN INVOLVED ARE FROM OUT OF STATE. IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT OUT OF STATE STUDENTS, STUDENTS FROM GEORGIA, USED A GEORGIA FLAG, HAVE COME IN AND GIVEN MISSISSIPPI A BLACK EYE. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LET THIS DISCOURAGE US FROM PROCEEDING ON THE COURSE THAT WE'VE BEEN ON AND I THINK BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ON. MEREDITH HIMSELF HAS NOT SPOKEN OUT ON THE ISSUE. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE JACKSON BRANCH OF THE F-B-I WHO COULD NOT COMMENT- AS IT IS STILL AN OPEN INVESTIGATION. FROM THE STATE CAPITOL, MIKE PERCHICK 16 WAPT NEWS.

A Justice Department civil rights investigation has concluded that the Ferguson Police Department and the city's municipal court engaged in a "pattern and practice" of discrimination against African Americans, targeting them disproportionately for tr...